Universal carrier compatibility in the United States. Best third-party apps of any mobile OS. Excellent low-light camera performance. Fast Wi-Fi.

Cons

Phone calling performance is just okay.

Bottom Line

The Apple iPhone 6 is the right iPhone at the right size, and one of the few unlocked phones that can be used on any of the four major U.S. carriers.

Apple's iPhone 6 is one of our favorite high-end smartphones. While most iPhones are sold through carrier channels, it also makes an excellent unlocked phone—one good enough to call Editors' Choice. There are a few things you need to know to get the best unlocked iPhone experience, though.

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If you're looking for an unlocked iPhone for U.S. use, the model number you need is A1586. This is physically identical to the Sprint iPhone, and it will work optimally on all four of the major U.S. networks. Most importantly, it will support the Sprint Spark LTE system, which an unlocked AT&T/T-Mobile/Verizon iPhone won't.

Editors' Note: The Verizon Wireless iPhone 6 is pictured in the slideshow above. The unlocked model is identical.

To get this model, you have to buy it directly from Apple and choose "SIM-free," not "T-Mobile," on the company's Web site. (Don't worry—it will work on T-Mobile.) The 16GB model costs $649, the 64GB model costs $749, and the 128GB model costs $849.

Why Buy an Unlocked iPhone?The unlocked iPhone 6 functions mostly identically to the carrier models. See our full review of the iPhone 6 for more details on the phone itself. One of Apple's strongest selling points is that its various iPhones come with no bloatware or carrier alterations, and that's by and large true.

Because Wi-Fi calling and voice over LTE are software features of iOS rather than being baked into the hardware of iPhone carrier models, they'll work on the unlocked model once your SIM card is put into the phone and the appropriate carrier settings are pushed through.

The unlocked iPhone will let you switch freely between all four U.S. carriers and pretty much any virtual carrier; the only ones which are forbidden are carriers that require special firmware, like Republic Wireless and Net10. Those carriers don't take any unlocked phones.

The unlocked iPhone goes up against the similarly priced, but much larger Nexus 6 in terms of high-quality, high-end unlocked phones. (The Nexus 6 is also the only non-Apple unlocked phone which can be activated on all four major U.S. carriers.) We also like the considerably less expensive OnePlus One and the Alcatel One Touch Idol 3, which only work on AT&T, T-Mobile, and virtual carriers on those networks. (If you're wondering about the Galaxy S6, Samsung does not sell an unlocked version of that phone in the United States.)

None of our other top unlocked phones are the iPhone's hand-friendly, 2.64-inch-wide size. And none of these phones have a camera as good as the iPhone's. But the real reason to spring for an unlocked iPhone 6 isn't hardware, but software and support. The iPhone and other top smartphones are generally within striking distance of each other on specs. But only the iPhone runs iOS, with its reliable updates, consistent design, and exclusive third-party apps. And between Apple stores, authorized retailers, and fan blogs, Apple's support infrastructure is far superior to that offered by any other unlocked phone vendor. When you make the decision between the iPhone and other unlocked phones, that's what you need to take into account. And those software and support elements are what leads the iPhone to share Editors' Choice honors with the Nexus 6 and the One Touch Idol 3.

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About the Author

PCMag.com's lead mobile analyst, Sascha Segan, has reviewed hundreds of smartphones, tablets and other gadgets in more than 13 years with PCMag. He's the head of our Fastest Mobile Networks project, hosts our One Cool Thing daily Web show, and writes opinions on tech and society.
Segan is also a multiple award-winning travel writer. Other than ... See Full Bio

Apple iPhone 6 (Unlocked)

Apple iPhone 6 (Unlocked)

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